The Amazing Race Recap
By Daron Aldridge
October 10, 2011
Thanks to last week’s unprecedented double elimination, the lone team with any possible built-in audience is gone. Of course, I’m talking about Survivor’s Ethan & Jenna. This saddens me for two reasons: I like them and thought they had great potential; and I blindly pegged them to win before the season started. That, folks, is why I don’t gamble. Not only that but I also severely overestimated the other ousted team, flight attendants Ron & Bill.
You can argue that a lesser team (cough *grandparents Bill & Cathi* cough) should be gone instead and I would agree because I really wanted Team Survivor to…well…survive. So, my acceptance of the first leg’s non-elimination has waned considerably. But I digress.
In addition to last week’s double elimination, I believe it also set a record for number of teams that had to repeat a task; thus, throwing the balance of the teams’ rankings way off. Unsurprisingly, a left-field additional clue at the orphanage was picked up on by only three of the eleven teams. It was a sneaky move that apparently required Shawn Spencer-like observational skills.
(Programming note: If you are a fan of delicious flavor, you probably know the new season of Psych starts this Wednesday on USA Network at 10 EST/9 CST. If you are not, get up, set your DVR and enjoy the pop culture-rich madness.)
As a result of the contagious illiteracy error, I don’t exactly know where to take my power rankings. It might as well be divided into two groups:
- Readers: Team Dude Andy & Tommy, boating father and son Laurence & Zac and showgirls Kaylani & Lisa. They all succeeded where several failed and were rewarded with first, second and third places, respectively.
Non-readers: Engaged Ernie & Cindy, twins (and other half of the Bimbo Brigade) Liz & Marie, Team Test Drive Jeremy & Sandy, Bill & Cathi (aka Ma & Pa) , hateful siblings Justin & Jennifer and married Amani & Marcus. None of them stood out and I fear that despite a strong performance up until the orphanage, Cindy will derail herself and start doubting their decisions. Exhibit A in the case to prove “You are your own worst critic/enemy.”
Maybe this week, the teams will give me something to assess their racing against and not just a massive clumping. That said I feel confident that many of the non-readers will continue their rushed ways to their own detriment. Onward and upward to the third leg.
After a Phil Keoghan geography lesson about Indonesia, from which we learn the nation is made of over 17,000 islands, the teams revisit the scene of the botched check-ins. Olympic snowboarders Andy & Tommy leave the gold medal podium in first place at 7:38 a.m. The task of this leg has the teams participate in a Dutch Colonial bike ride through the streets of Yogyakarta and apparently these re-enactors aren’t known for their speed.
Team Dude continues to be high on life with both guys infusing some tricks into their colonial bike ride. A few wheelies and a masterfully executed "surf the bike" move later, Andy & Tommy remain at the top of my favorite teams this season. About 20 minutes into their ride, Team Regatta Laurence & Zac leave the Pitstop.
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